Apparatus for producing addressed labels



' Nov. 12, 1963 K. J. HERSEY 3,110,248

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ADDRESSED LABELS Filed Sept. 6, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. KENNETH J. HERSEY Nov. 12, 1963 I HERsEY 3,110,248

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ADDRESSED LABELS Filed Sept. 6, 1961 s Sheet-Sheet 2 FIG. 6

IN V EN TOR.

KENNETH u. HERSEY Nov. 12, 1963 K. J. HERSEY APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ADDRESSED LABELS Filed Sept. 6, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ls kl INVENTOR. KENNETH J. HERSEY 3,110,243 APPARATUS non Pnonucnvo LABELS Kenneth J. Hersey, 155i) Qrestview Lane, llopldns, Mimi. Filed Sept. 5, 1961, Ser. No. 136,323 3 Claims. (ill. lill65) This invention relates to a method of making labels and to a label-making attachment for an addressing machine of the kind designated to print from embossed plates and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a method of producing addressed labels and an attachment for an addressing and simultaneously cutting label machine that is economically in use and for producing labels more rapidly than heretofore possible.

A further object of the invention is the production of addressed labels and the simultaneous punching of an addressed label.

This attachment may be used with an addressing machine of the type disclosed in US. Patent No. 1,992,661, dated February 26, 1935. Basic to addressing machines for which the attachment is primarily produced are platefceding mechanisms and a Stamper arm mechanism. The plate-feeding mechanism feeds plates through a guideway or channel in the bed or table mechanism from platefeeding magazine to a plate discharge galley usually on the opposite side of the machine. The platefeeding mechanism feeds plates in strokes from one position to the next along the channel in the table top. When the plates arrive at the plate station directly under the end of the stamper arm an impression is taken. Impressions are usually taken from printing plates by means of the Stamper arm. Usually one end of the Stamper arm. Usually one end of the Stamper arm is a rubber or the like surface block of material called a platen. it presses the form (a continuous strip of paper) and inked ribbon against the surface of the printing plate. The characters usually embossed on the plate imprint through the ribbon on to the paper.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view or" an addressing machine with parts broken away and with the label-making attachment in place;

FIGURE 2 is a side View of a label-punching mechanism which is adapted to replace one of the blades of the attachment shown in FTGURE 1;

FEGURE 3 is a top plan view of a strip lister attached to the table top with portions of the table top broken away;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view, with parts roken away, of the label-cutting attachment;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a stamper arm attachment for operating the movable cutting plate;

FIGURE 6 is a view of the stamper arm mechanism with the mechanism shown in IGURE 4 attached thereto;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan View, with parts broken away, of a label-making attachment; and

FIGURE 8 is a side elevation view, with parts broken away, of the label-cutting unit shown in FIGURE 7.

Referring to the drawings in detail; the table top or upper printing surface it of the printing machine of which the Speedaumat Class 2600 is preferred, shown generally at 12 is the label-making attachment. Extending substantially horizontally across the top of the table or printing surface of the printing apparatus is guideway 14. In the guideway are shown printing plates 15. These plates are moved step by step along the guideway 14. The improvement includes a plate 18 which is supported on the printing machine top 19. In the plate l8 are a series of slot openings 20 through which the fastening screws 22 i alienated Nov, 12, 19%3 extend in securing a blade plate in place. The purpose of the slot openings 2% is to permit adjustment of the blade plate 24 in relationship to the plate 18. That is, the distance which the lebel will travel after being printed before it is cut from the strip of paper can be varied. A label-receiving channel 26 is secured to the plate 24 by L-shaped members 28, being placed on opposite sides thereof. The end 29 of the channel 26 extends upwardly to adjacent discharge side of the stationary cutting blade. This is for the purpose of receiving labels in an inclined position so that they can be readily removed in the order in which they are printed.

Mounted on the blade plate 24 is stationary blade 39. This blade is provided with upwardly extending end blocks 32 and 34. To these blocks is secured guard plate 36 to prevent accidental contact with the stationary blade. Hingedly connected to block 3- is movable cutting blade 38. The movable blade 33 is hingedly mounted on pin 48. The blade 33 is urged into close contact with the blocks 32 and 3d and the stationary blade by spring 42. The spring 42 is operatively mounted on pin ill as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8.

The free end of the blade 38 is ur ed upwardly to the opened position by spring at. The movable blade 38 is forced downwardly and cuts the paper to provide separate labels which are deposited in the generally U-shaped channel 26. The spring 41 immediately returns the mov able blade to the opened position. To assist in holding the spring ll in operating position the generally L-shaped tab 46 is employed. This L-shaped tab 46 is secured to the knife plate 24 by the same fastening means used to secure the L-shaped tabs 23 in position.

Secured to the plate l8 adjacent the receiving side of the stationary blade 34? is printing plate shield 43. The shield 48 is provided with a printing station opening 5%? where the labels are printed by the co-operation of the plates 16 and the stamper arm 6%. The shield 48 is secured to the blade plate 13 by any suitable fastening means 52. A portion 54 of the end of shield 4-8 is inclined upwardly. This incline leads the paper up to the edge of the stationary cutting blade 30. Secured by suitable means to shield 43 between the opening 56 and the free end of said shield is paper-feeding guide 58. This guide 53 is spaced from the shield 48 to provide for a passage for the paper that is to be printed.

In FIGURES l and 6 is shown stamper arm 69 which operates in a manner similar to the arm in Patent No. 1,992,661 above referred to. The head 62 of the arm has adjustably secured thereto Stamper arm cleat attachment 64 for operating the movable cutting blade 38. The generally L-shaped plate attachment 6- (see FIG- URES 5 and 6) may be arranged to strike the movable cutting blade 38 directly, but it is preferred that an adjustable bolt member 66, secured in one of the elongated openings 68, be used for striking the movable blade.

A roll of paper of suitable weight is fed by the strip lister attachment shown in FIGURE 3 step by step substantially horizontally to the printing and cutting operation. The strip lister attachment may be of any suitable type; for example, the type now being suggested for use with the addressing machine being referred to in said patent by the manufacturer thereof. Bracket 76 has hingedly attached thereto a lever which carries a roll of paper (not shown). The web of paper passes under a suitable hold down spring 74 and thence under friction heel 7 6 and then follows the path indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 7.

In operation the selected printing plates are supplied to the addressing machine and the plates are fed step by step until the first plate reaches the printing station 50 directly under the head 62 of the stamper arm 60. A continuous web of paper having been supplied to the v3 printing machine and threaded under the plate 58, over opening 50, under bar 56, and up the incline 54 and over the stationary cutting blade 36. When the plate arrives at the printing station 59, head 62 carrying the platen presses the web of paper or the like and an inked ribbon against the surface of the plate and the paper'is printed. The lowering of the arm 69 results in pin member 66 carried by the plate 64 in striking the movable blade 38 which cuts the labels from the continuous web or" paper 72. Usually one or more labels are printed before the first printed label is separated from the web. The Web is cut between the printed portions by knife blades to provide labels 72a. The separated labels gather in the generally U-shaped channel 26 shown in FIGURE 1 which makes the labels easy to remove for applying in the order printed. FIGURE 1 shows a web of paper extending in a substantially horizontal position and in this position the web of paper is printed. The printed portion of the web of paper is advanced to the cutting blades where label 72a is separated therefrom.

In FIGURE 2 is a Cheshire punch comprising a base frame '73, upwardly extending arm 8!} which has an opening 82 therein. Hiugedly attached to arm 80 at the upper end is punch operating arm 84. Mounted on the base plate 78 is punch plate 83 which is provided with a paper web opening 99. Guide pin 36 is carried by punch plate 8? and extends through an opening in arm 34. Punch 92 extends through an opening in the punch plate 38 so that on the downward movement of the arm 84 the labels are punched. The punch 92 has an enlarged head 94 upon which the punch operating arm 84 rests. The arm 84 is urged to the raised position by spring 95. This spring rests between arm 88 and the punch head 94. When the punch is to be used with the attachment 12 the movable blade 38 is removed. The pin 4-3 is then inserted through the opening 82 of the punch, thus securing the punch to the stationary blade 39. It can be seen that simply by removing blade 38 and attaching the punch in the same position as the removed movable blade, addressed and punched labels can be produced. The arrangernent shown in the drawings and described in this specification permits economical production of addressed labels of two kinds, i.e. addressed and simultaneously cut labels or addressed and simultaneously punched labels.

It is to be understood that certain modifications may be resorted to which falls in the scope of the apmnded claims.

What is cla1'rned:

l. A label-making attachment for a printing machine having a substantially horizontally extending upper printing surface, a printing plate channel in the upper printing surface, a printing plate in the printing plate chanel, an attaching plate mounted on the upper printing surface, a blade plate adjustable mounted on the attaching plate, a stationary blade secured to the blade plate, a movable blade hingedly attached to the stationary blade, a spring means urging the movable blade to a normally opened position, a substantially U shaped label-receiving channel secured to the blade plate, the label-receiving channel sloping upwardly adjacent the stationary blade, a shield secured to the attaching plate adjacent the blade plate, said shield sloping upwardly adjacent the stationary blade, 2.

stanper arm co-operating with the printing plate in printing, a substantially L. shaped plate attached to the stamper arm for operating the movable blade.

2. A label-making attachment for a printing machine having a substantially horizontally extending printing surface, a printing plate channel in the printing surface, a printing plate in the printing plate channel, an attaching plate mounted on the printing surface, a blade plate adjustably secured to the attaching plate, a stationary blade mounted on the blade plate, a movable blade hingedly attached to the stationary blade, spring means urging the movable blade to a normally opened position, a labelreceiving channel attached to the blade plate, said label- 'receiving channel sloping upward adjacent the stationary blade, a shield having an opening therein positioned over the printing plate channel, the printing shield sloping upwardly adjacent the stationary blade, the said label receiving channel and the said shield secured to the blade plate on opposi e side thereof, a stamper arm co-operating with the printing plate in printing, a substantially L shaped plate attached to the stamper arm and a striking member adjustably secured to the L shaped plate for operating the movable blade.

3. A label attachment for a printing machine having a substantially horizontally extending printing surface, a printing plate channel, a printing plate in the printing plate channel and a Stamper arm, the attachment comprising an attaching plate, a blade plate secured to the attaching plate, a stationary blade secured to the blade plate, a movable blade hingedly attached to the stationary blade, means urging the movable blade to a normally opened position, a label receiving charmel attached to the blade on one side, said label receiving channel sloping upwardly adjacent the stationary blade, a shield secured to the blade plate on opposite side to which the label receiving channel is attached, said shield having an opening therein positioned over the printing plate channel, a generally L shaped plate attached to the stamper arm and a striking pin in the L shaped plate for operating the movable blade.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 410,970 Hill Sept. 10, 1889 714,790 Elliott Dec. 2, 1902 1,908,944 Baber May 16, 1933 1,992,661 Gollwitzer Feb. 26, 1935 2,431,869 Haller Dec. 2, 1947 2,889,768 Hampton June 9, 1959 

1. A LABEL-MAKING ATTACHMENT FOR A PRINTING MACHINE HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING UPPER PRINTING SURFACE, A PRINTING PLATE CHANNEL IN THE UPPER PRINTING SURFACE, A PRINTING PLATE IN THE PRINTING PLATE CHANNEL, AN ATTACHING PLATE MOUNTED ON THE UPPER PRINTING SURFACE, A BLADE PLATE ADJUSTABLE MOUNTED ON THE ATTACHING PLATE, A STATIONARY BLADE SECURED TO THE BLADE PLATE, A MOVABLE BLADE HINGEDLY ATTACHED TO THE STATIONARY BLADE, A SPRING MEANS URGING THE MOVABLE BLADE TO A NORMALLY OPENED POSITION, A SUBSTANTIALLY U SHAPED LABEL-RECEIVING CHANNEL SECURED TO THE BLADE PLATE, THE LABEL-RECEIVING CHANNEL SLOPING UPWARDLY ADJACENT THE STATIONARY BLADE, A SHIELD SECURED TO THE ATTACHING PLATE ADJACENT THE BLADE PLATE, SAID SHIELD SLOPING UPWARDLY ADJACENT THE STATIONARY BLADE, A STAMPER ARM CO-OPERATING WITH THE PRINTING PLATE IN PRINTING, A SUBSTANTIALLY L SHAPED PLATE ATTACHED TO THE STAMPER ARM FOR OPERATING THE MOVABLE BLADE. 